AN overweight paedophile who was “too fat to be sentenced” earlier this month has finally been given a four-and-a-half-year jail term for serious sex offences against children dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.

But security staff sent to collect him from the prison left him there and reported back that he was “virtually immobile”.

Judge Heywood said at the time: “I am told that Parc cannot produce him because of his size.

“He’s 30 stone and they could not provide adequate transport.”

'Blighted lives'

On Friday, Picton was produced at Swansea Crown Court in a large wheelchair where Judge Heywood told him he had “blighted” the lives of his three victims, young girls at the time of the offences and now adults. They cannot be identified.

Picton admitted 11 counts of indecent assault against girls under the age of 13 and one of gross indecency with a girl under 13.

When Picton was wheeled out of court to begin his jail sentence, one of his victims, who was in court, said: “Rot in hell.”

James Jenkins, prosecuting, said the offences involved indecent touching of the girls over a number of years, with the offences having taken place in West Wales.

Mr Jenkins said Picton initially denied he had done anything wrong and even offered to see a doctor “to see if he was having problems with his memory”.

Admissions

Eventually, before a trial was due, Picton made a series of admissions to charges of indecent touching and one of sexual exposure, which led to the gross indecency charge.

Dyfed Thomas, defending, said Picton had a number of health issues, being diabetic and suffering heart problems.

He said Picton had no previous convictions and had been regarded as a man of good character before making the sex assault admissions.

Mr Thomas handed a number of testimonials to Judge Heywood on the defendant’s behalf.

Sentence

Judge Heywood said: “Gerald Picton, you are 66 years old and until the admissions you made in March this year were seen as being of previous good character.

“You fondled and touched your victims and exposed yourself to one of them.”

Judge Heywood said the victims were affected in their later lives, having difficulties with relationships.

He added: “You have blighted their lives.”

The judge told Picton when he was released from his sentence it would be on the condition that he behaved himself.